I do not own Pepe or Penelope
I do own Penelope's family and Pheffe (she's in this chapter and next installment a lot.) :)
(Some stuff is violent and graphic.)
Chapter Twenty-Six
Anger and New Feelings
Her eyes opened and blinked a couple of times to wake up the rest of her. Penelope found herself on her side facing the nightstand and something holding on to her hand. She turned her head to see Pepe hanging on to her hand and deep in sleep. She laid her head back down and went back to sleep for a moment, but the door opened and Leonardo came in.
"Penelope," he whispered. "Your mother has asked for you and Pepe to come to the rail station this morning."
"Why?" she whispered back.
"She will not say," Leonardo said. "Hurry now, maybe she will have Pheffe with her and let you all go home."
How Penelope hoped that was true. Only half an hour later she found herself following her father with Pepe at her side heading to the train station near their home.
Bryony stood firm and vicious, like a captain of Nazis.
"Hello," she said unpleasantly. "Anything you want to say?"
"Oui," Pepe said not afraid of her at all. "Why deed you lock me away and Penelope up and where eez Pheffe?"
"Oh yes!" Bryony said. Francine came out from around a corner looking sad. "Guiliane Sabrina!"
Guiliane came around the corner looking guilty and for once not proud. Behind her barely strong enough to walk was Pheffe.
She had changed dramatically from a happy, healthy three ½ year old, to an anorexia-like, sick and bashed up abused child. Her little white face was sick and had bruises on it. One very bad looking one around her left eye. Gone was the lively look and sparkle of energetic sweetness in her eyes. Her arms were so bony that she seemed like a skeleton with no muscles or blood but bones underneath. Her black hair which fell across her face now was greasy tangled and had white specks (lice) about. Her lips were dry and chipped from lack of water. Her stomach growled so loudly that they could hear it. She looked nothing like before, but as if she had been in Bergen-Belsen.
Leonardo gasped aloud and nearly gagged in disgust. Francine turned her face. Pepe and Penelope were at lost for words. She looked nothing like their offspring. Bryony looked surprised.
"Guiliane Sabrina," she said coldly. Guiliane looked at her mother. "What is this I am seeing? She is not gone and you know what I mean by that."
"I could not do it." Guiliane screamed and broke down to the ground weeping. "Mam, I could not do it. I pulled out… the gun and- oh! She looked at me with her dear little eyes and asked what was I doing? I cannot kill an innocent child who has done no wrong to me. I deserve punishment for as long as I live."
"You and Francine Tranquilla both failed me for the first time in your lives and after all I have given you." Bryony spat in her face.
Francine ran into her father's arms and cried even harder and unable to catch her breath.
"I am not a murder!" she sobbed. "Papa! I wanted to die when she told me to- I am sorry!!"
"Calm down now," Leonardo said gently to her. "You did no wrong; you did the right thing of not doing it."
Bryony stood there over Pheffe who was on her knees shaking from hunger.
"Get back all of you," she ordered. "I have unfinished business." Her tone made everyone timid, but Pepe stood were he was curiously.
"Get back," Penelope urged. Pepe did not listen.
Bryony pulled out a small pistol and shook it at Pepe.
"You were going to get this only, now you will suffer more. Perhaps die of a broken heart after what you will witness!!"
She aimed to Pheffe and shoved Pepe who nearly grabbed it out of her hands. He fell and felt too weak to get up.
"Anyone moves I shoot!" Bryony snapped.
She aimed it again to Pheffe. And Pheffe-
Pheffe did not scream or cry or try to run, but stayed where she was and looked up. And she said in a small voice with a great, innocent courage;
"Why do you hate me?" she asked.
Now all looked at her in wonder. Bryony seemed taken aback. This simple child who did nothing wrong had just asked her a simple question. "Why do you hate me?"
Bryony quivered and suddenly through down the pistol in anger.
"Come on," she said. "Leonardo Cadmus, Guiliane Sabrina, Francine Tranquilla- Penelope Peony."
"Why me?" Penelope asked.
"If we cannot keep them gone we will take you," Bryony said.
Francine went first with Guiliane. They both looked apologetic to Pepe and Pheffe.
Leonardo hesitated, and then followed his daughters to the station and the three climbed into a boxcar full of suitcases meaning that they were leaving.
"I will let you say your good-byes." Bryony said. She walked off quietly seething with frustration.
Pepe crawled to his daughter who nearly blacked out. He lifted her up in his arms and she as if blind ran her hand over his face as if to know for sure it was him. When she knew she clung to his neck and shed tears of comfort and safety.
"They want me to go with them," Penelope said.
"You can't" Pepe said. "You belong een Paris with us."
Penelope knew that was true, but she felt a stronger desire to follow her parents and for once make her mother proud and acceptable to her.
"I could go for a while," she said.
Pepe looked confused. "Why?" he asked. "All she's done eez abuse you and me and nearly murder me and Pheffe. Look at your daughter Penelope; she's nearly dying thanks to her."
"Don't say that," Penelope said boldly.
"What's gotten een to you?" Pepe asked desperately.
"For once I can please her. I've wanted that more than anything my whole life." Penelope said.
Pepe looked hurt. "More zhan anytheeng?" he said. "Zhat's not true. You've said so yourself all zhat you wanted eez to be loved and I'm zhe only one who really gave eet to you and my family loves you as zhere own."
"That's different!" Penelope snapped sharply.
"No eet's not!" Pepe snapped back. "You care more for zhem than what you have now! Maybe you should leave!"
"I am!!" Penelope yelled fiercely at him.
"FINE!!" Pepe yelled back.
"FINE!!" Penelope yelled back. "And I will take Pheffe."
No you won't." Pepe said clutching Pheffe tighter now. "I won't have her among zhose child abusers.!"
Penelope grabbed Pheffe out of his arms and began to drag her. Pheffe aware of what had been happening screamed.
"Non!" she screamed. "No! No!"
"Shut up!" Penelope snapped and hit her hard till she fell down. "No more of that stupid accent or words. You will speak like me and not say anything about Paris or your other family members!"
Pheffe looked up at her teary eyed. Penelope was taken aback by a past dream;
It was a black and white photograph instead of color like the rest. It was a little girl skunk of about four years old. She had dark eyes that looked sad and teary. She had long black hair that went around her face and dropped to her shoulders. She wore black clothes and had a necklace chain around her neck. The pendent was hidden under her shirt collar.
It was now real. Bryony took Penelope by the arm and took her on the boxcar as the whistle blew.
Pepe took Pheffe back up in his arms. His usual bright, but relaxed eyes were fuming with hate and anger.
The train began to move as the boxcar door closed.
All Penelope saw last of Pheffe was her crying and her teary eyes glistening like a mist.